Somatostatin analogues for neuroendocrine cancer

Somatostatin analogues are medicines that stop your body from making too many hormones.

Some neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) make large amounts of hormones. This can cause symptoms. Somatostatin analogues are a possible treatment to reduce and control high hormone levels. This treatment can help with symptoms caused by high hormone levels. It might also help control or shrink some NETs.

Common somatostatin analogue drugs used are octreotide and lanreotide.

Somatostatin analogues are a treatment for NETs. Doctors don't use them to treat NECs.

How somatostatin analogues work

Somatostatin is a hormone made naturally in the body. It is made by:

• a gland in the brain called the hypothalamus

• the stomach

• the pancreas

• the bowel

Somatostatin does a number of things. It slows down or stops the production of a number of hormones such as insulin and gut hormones. It also controls the emptying of the stomach and bowel. 

A somatostatin analogue is a man made (synthetic) version of somatostatin. It slows down the production of hormones, especially the growth hormone and serotonin. This helps to control the symptoms such as diarrhoea and flushing of the skin. It may also shrink the NET. 

How you have somatostatin analogues

You usually have somatostatin analogues as an injection under the skin (subcutaneously) or into the muscle (intramuscularly). You usually have treatment every 4 weeks. 

Your nurse usually gives you the injections. If you have lanreotide, they may show you how to give the injections yourself. 

Side effects of somatostatin analogues

Somatostatin analogues do not usually cause many side effects. The most common side effects are:

• headaches and dizziness

• loss of appetite

• feeling or being sick

• feeling bloated

• stomach pain

• tiredness (fatigue)

• pain at the injection site

• changes to your blood sugar levels

• changes to the way your bowel works

Coping

Treatment for neuroendocrine cancer can be difficult to cope with for some people. Your nurse will give you phone numbers to call if you have any problems at home.